And then there were 9: Gorsuch takes Supreme Court seat

Neil Gorsuch survived a very public Capitol Hill battle over his Supreme Court nomination. Now gets the lifetime privilege, starting Monday, of seeing how things work in that limelight-averse power center just across First Street NE. His swearing-in as the nation's 113th Supreme Court justice puts the court back at full strength — nine seats — more than a year after the death of Antonin Scalia, seen as a kindred conservative, The 9 a.m. ET ceremony caps an early victory for the Trump administration, whose Republican allies in the Senate ensured Gorsuch's nomination. Politicians pro and con having registered their opinions on Gorsuch, only time will tell what role the Coloradan, formerly a judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, will have on weighty issues the court will face in the months and years to come.

Delta aims to recover from multi-day meltdown

Delta Air Lines aims to recover after five straight days of dela ys and cancellations sparked by storms last week. The carrier had canceled more than 160 “mainline” flights by Sunday evening with nearly 1,050 more flights running behind schedule, according to one flight-tracking service. That together makes 40% of Delta’s entire Sunday schedule. Still, the number of canceled flights had fallen dramatically since the week's end, raising hope — however faint — that Delta could see close-to-normal operations by the start of the workweek on Monday. That likely won’t be the end of the story for Delta, however: Once schedules return to normal, expect the airline to face scrutiny.

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Delta Air Lines said it had canceled nearly 3,000 flights this week after a severe storm hit its hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and apologized for its response to the "unprecedented" weather.
USA TODAY

Cubs to raise World Series banner at Wrigley opener

On Monday night, World Series champs the Chicago Cubs get to show off a nice little souvenir from their magical run last season. The team's 2017 home opener will be like no other at storied Wrigley Field, where a banner will be raised commemorating the Cubs' big win. It will be another one of those lingering, pinch-me reminders—in addition to the city's massive parade in their honor and a trip to the White House for presidential congratulations—that, yes, Chicago actually won its first World Series in 108 years. And that they rallied from a 3-1 deficit against the Cleveland Indians to do it. "Oh, it'll be crazy," the Cubs' Kyle Schwarber told the Associated Press.

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The Chicago Cubs have won their first World Series in 108 years, some numbers to ponder. By Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY

Iconic 'Breaking Bad' baddie returns on 'Better Call Saul'

Gustavo Fring, the abominable drug lord seen nearly six years ago on AMC's Breaking Bad, will return to TV for Season 3 of the show's prequel series Better Caul Saul. The season, which premieres Monday at 10 p.m. ET/PT, will see actor Giancarlo Esposito's Fring meet two-bit lawyer Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and crooked cop Mike Ehrmantraut (Jonathan Banks). "People are afraid of me, because I have a very intense aura when I’m playing that character," said Esposito, 58. The fried chicken purveyor's return is enough to make Better Call Saul one of our five shows you should binge-watch before their spring premieres.

Passover begins, with new options for Kosher foodies

Monday marks the beginning of Passover, the major Jewish holiday celebrating the Hebrews' deliverance from slavery in Egypt. For the ritual feast associated with Passover, the seder, dietary restrictions apply, such as the serving of only unleavened breads. A new wave of Passover celebrants are melding tradition with modern tastes, though, and the Kosher food industry is stepping up to help. Passover accounts for $1.3 billion of the $12 billion annual kosher foods market, according to one estimate. Now Kosher food brands are modernizing with eclectic offerings—think baby quinoa and gluten-free fusilli—as Passover transforms from biblical to Bourdain. Passover ends April 18.